A Hollow Familiar
by Sedor
Summary: Years before she even started her peerage, Rias came across a strange beast with a taste for Devils and Angels alike. As she delves deeper into its origins, will either of them survive the trials and tribulations they'll be put through? AU 4 years before the start of either series. Hollow!Ichigo x Rias
1. Chapter 1

**A Hollow Familiar**

Hey guys and girls. I'm back with a concept shot to get back into the rhythm of things and it's with a crossover that I still haven't found I can quite handle. Hope you enjoy.

Story Note:

This takes place before the start of either series. Three to four years in my mind, but that might change as I continue to research certain aspects.

XXX

**Chapter 1:**

Dull grey clouds gathered over Karakura Town, their forms highlighted every once in a while by the thunderous crash of lightning arcing overhead. Below the streets were flooded by icy rain, turning the roads slick and treacherous. The few people that braved the storm, hurried from cover to cover, trying vainly to protect themselves from the downpour.

Perched on a three storey building, a lone figure paid little attention to the chill of the rain, or the biting wind as it knelt on the corner of the roof, gazing down at the moving figures below it. It had long forgotten what it felt like to be cold, as the sole feeling that consumed it now was a crippling hunger. If anyone had to notice the figure though, they would surely have run in the opposite direction with all the speed their legs could muster to escape such a horrifying creature.

It stood at a little less than six feet, with pale white skin and shaggy orange hair, not too out of place considering modern fashion trends and statements, but the same could not be said about its bird-like feet and clawed fingers, or the gaping hole where its heart should have been. Its horrifying appearance was not aided by the fact that its skin was drawn tight over its bones, giving it a heavily emaciated appearance.

It was not that it couldn't find sustenance, no far from it. It simply couldn't bear to consume what it knew would sate its hunger. For the meal that its body so desperately cried out for, were the human beings wandering about below it. Yet despite this instinctual need to feed, part of the creature refused to, instead living on the scraps of other monsters like it when they fought one another.

As of late though, such spats seemed to have become almost non-existent, leading the creature to believe that something was hunting others like it, or something was keeping them all away.

As it continued its lone vigil, it perked its head up as its senses were assaulted by a strange scent that it had never smelt before. As it continued to inhale the heady aroma, its ravenous hunger took command, ordering it to sate its aching need. Rising to its full height, it began to leap from rooftop to rooftop in the direction of what would hopefully be a decent meal.

XXX

'_Of course it would rain on the one day I get to come to the human world,'_ Rias Gremory, a teenage girl approximately thirteen years old thought, her arms weighed down by several shopping bags, while her hands were clasped tightly around the plastic covering of her new body pillow and umbrella. Despite the oddity of her purchases, most people just brushed it off as they took in her emerald green eyes and blood red hair and assumed that she was a tourist with a shopping obsession. While it was true that she was a bit obsessed with Japanese culture, both ancient and modern, she was in fact a pure blooded Devil and heiress to the Gremory Household of the Underworld, one of 72 families that stood as the pillars of Devil Society.

Huffing as she pressed on through the rain, she paused as she felt a spike in magical energy not far from her location. Narrowing her eyes as it continued to escalate; she sighed and summoned a crimson magic circle under her feet, before setting her purchases down on it.

'_It feels like a Fallen Angel and Devil battling, but I can't say I recognise the Devil's presence. So for now I will observe and if necessary step in,'_ she mused as she took off at a dead sprint, moving far faster than any normal human was capable of.

XXX

Arriving at an old derelict building, Rias panted slightly from the effort, before calming herself and proceeding cautiously towards the part of the grounds where the energies felt strongest. As the poked her head around the corner of the ruined building, she cringed as a human-like figure was thrown into it with enough force to cause the wall to crack and splinter. Examining the figure that had been thrown more closely, she could see that it was a female Fallen Angel with long black hair, wearing a short black skirt and light purple blouse. Glancing across the field of battle, Rias had to suppress a sigh at what was now revealed to be a Stray Devil. He looked similar to a toad with squat arms and legs and a large rotund body. Unlike the amphibian though, his jaws were lined with dagger-like teeth and was sporting a manic grin on his face.

"What's the matter bitch? For all your talk earlier, I would've thought that I'd be a long dead by now," he taunted, before shooting his tongue towards the woman. Spotting the pink appendage out of a single bleary eye, the woman flared her wings and took to the air, just as his tongue slammed into the wall demolishing it. It proved to only be a brief reprieve, as she suddenly found her ankle caught in his slimy grip, before she was promptly slammed into the ground once again.

"You're not even crying out like I want you to," the toad-like Devil said with a sneer as he literally hopped through the air towards her prone form, landing on her legs with a bone-splitting snap. Even though she was clearly in agony, the Fallen Angel still remained stubbornly mute. "Tch, guess there's no point in playing with you anymore then," he grumbled, before hunching down to swallow her whole.

Before Rias could prepare a spell to obliterate the two of them, or for the Stray to swallow his meal, the three of them were stunned as a pale white claw reached out and latched onto the Stray's upper jaw. Unable to see its attacker, the Stray let out a yelp of surprise as it felt itself lifted off the ground, before being tossed away like a ragdoll.

Rias was shocked as she examined the pale white creature that had appeared out of nowhere overwhelm the Stray like it was nothing. She knew such strength was only possible for a rook-type Devil, yet the energy she felt from the creature was nothing like a Devils, or Angels, fallen or otherwise.

Even as the Stray's club-like tongue flew out of the rubble at great speed, the pale white beast took the blow like it was nothing, before clamping its razor sharp teeth down on the fleshy muscle and tearing it off in a shower of black blood. Ignoring the pained scream of its opponent, Rias stared transfixed as it began to voraciously tear into the tongue, pausing only momentarily to breathe as it devoured it at an obscene pace.

The Stray though, despite the loss of its tongue would not be ignored, or defeated so easily. Leaping into the air with a grunt, it appeared in the air above the white beast, its feet aiming to crush the creature into dust as it plummeted towards the ground. As it struck the creature, the ground beneath it buckled, sending debris flying everywhere, even as it sunk deep into the ground.

Struggling to see through the dust cloud it had created, the toad uttered a gurgled chuckle, confident that it had killed the beast that had attacked it. Its victory was short lived though, as its chuckles died in its throat, while its body began to distend. Soon a clawed hand burst through its head, covered in black ichor and gore. It was soon joined by another and together they ripped the Stray in two, revealing the white beast none the worse for wear, panting heavily.

From her hiding place, Rias gulped as she watched the creature resume feasting on the now steaming corpse, any thought of interfering driven straight out of her mind. Hearing the soft crumbling of rock being shifted, she and the creature turned to where the Fallen Angel had risen into the air on shaky wings, her eyes quivering with unrestrained fear. While Rias expected the beast to rush the clearly wounded Angel, it surprised both of them as it glanced briefly at her, before returning its attention to the meal in front of it. Taking it as a sign of luck, the Fallen Angel disappeared into the sky, leaving Rias alone now in her observation.

It was not to last too much longer as the creature suddenly lifted its head to the sky, sniffing for god knows what. Whatever it detected though, it sent it into a flurry of activity, as it scooped up what remained of its kill and leapt off into the distance without sparing a glance backwards. Unwilling to linger in the area much longer, Rias summoned her own magic circle and disappeared back to the Underworld.

XXX

Seconds later, a man with light blonde hair, wearing a green gi and hakama and dark green jacket, landed with a soft clack, his wooden sandals leaving a faint impression in the mud of the battlefield. Looking around at the destruction, he sighed and reached into the inner pocket of his coat and withdrew a simple looking cell phone. Holding it up to his ear as he hit the speed dial, he waited for exactly three rings as usual, before it was answered by a gruff sounding voice.

"Why hello Isshin, how are you doing this evening," Kisuke Urahara said cheerfully and if he had to guess, the person on the other end probably had an annoyed expression on their face, if their rebuke was any indication.

"Cut the crap Kisuke, what's happened to Ichigo?" Isshin Kurosaki asked.

"Why would you assume something's happened to him?" Kisuke asked with a hint of mock confusion, even as he began to shift aside some of the debris with the end of the cane he carried.

"Because that's the only reason you'd call me in the first place!" Isshin shouted back in exasperation.

"Ah well I guess that makes sense," Kisuke said as he shrugged his shoulders. "Well there has been a bit of a complication."

"What kind of complication?" Isshin asked, his tone wavering slightly as he feared whatever news he was about to be given.

"Well you see…the barrier that I had erected to keep him within Karakura Town and to keep other hollows out…well it hit a bit of a snag."

"Did he escape?! Was he eaten by another hollow?!" Isshin shouted into the phone, causing Kisuke to wince and rub his ears.

"No, nothing like that, it's just…it didn't stop something else from coming in."

"Dammit Kisuke stop dragging this out already and tell me what happened!"

"Technically I've been trying to tell you, but you've been the one to leap to certain conclusions."

Suppressing a certain snide remark, Isshin pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "Fine, then what snuck in?"

"A Devil and Fallen Angel if the energies I'm feeling are any indication," he answered as his gaze swept over to the crater where the toad had attempted to crush Ichigo. "My guess is that they came here completely by accident and his desperation led him to hunt them." Hearing nothing but silence on the other end of the line, he grew slightly concerned. "Isshin?"

"Was Ichigo injured?"

"I'm…not quite sure. There's certainly a lot of blood around, but it doesn't appear to be his. And considering that he took off the moment he detected my presence implies that he was well enough to travel at a decent speed."

"For being a former member of the Stealth Forces, you're awfully noticeable to a simple hollow," Isshin snapped, causing the Kisuke to frown slightly.

"I think we can agree that your son is not a simple hollow, or have you forgotten the sense of self that he still exhibits from time to time?"

"I never forgot," came the muffled reply, before a sigh was heard. "How do you think this will affect his development?"

"I really couldn't say. There's been no evidence in the past to suggest how this will affect him." Done with his inspection of the battlefield, he sighed and broached the core reason for his call. "We need to plan for the eventuality that this incident might draw others here Isshin and considering how well my barrier repelled them, the idea that he might end up a target in their sights."

"What would you have me do Kisuke?" Isshin asked, his tone that of a man defeated.

"I've already given you my thoughts on the topic Isshin…it's not my fault if you're so against it that you would ignore reality." His piece said, Kisuke hung up the call and disappeared with a whisper.

XXX

Elsewhere, within the confines of the Fallen Angel's stronghold, Azazel, the current Governor General of the Fallen Angels and one of his closest friends Shemhazai stood at the bedside of the wounded Fallen Angel that had returned from the World of the Living.

"Just so that we understand this correctly Raynare," Shemhazai began, his tone neutral, "you're saying that while you engaged a Stray Devil, an unknown beast intervened and after killing it, ate it. Does that sound right?"

"My lords…I…I understand how far-fetched it sounds, but that's exactly what happened," she pleaded, staring up imploringly at the two men she worshipped more than anything else. "It was unlike anything I've seen before. It ignored all attempts by the Stray to harm it and dispatched it with minimal effort."

"And what makes you think that this was not simply another Stray Devil? They are nothing more than beasts that have strayed from what little rules the other Devils still abide by."

"The feeling of it my lord…it was….wrong. The energy it gave off…the feelings it evoked, they were simply all wrong," she whispered as memories of its eerie yellow eyes flashed through her mind. "It was hunting for food and for food alone. None of the Devils I've encountered have done that."

Sharing a look between themselves, Azazel gestured with his head towards the door, before getting a nod of acknowledgement from his friend. Turning back to Raynare, he smiled down at her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You did well to bring us this information Raynare-chan, but now you need to rest. Don't worry, we'll find out more about this beast."

Taken in by the words of her leader, Raynare could not help the tears that pooled in her eyes as she turned her gaze down to her clasped hands. "I'm sorry that I could not be of more help to you Azazel-sama," she mumbled out through her sobs, as she desperately tried to compose herself.

"Don't worry, you've been more than a help already. Trust me and rest now," Azazel said with one last smile, as he headed towards the exit. Once the door was shut, his expression turned grim and he stalked off down the corridor, Shemhazai keeping pace with him.

"Rumours are already flying that she fumbled a relatively simple execution," Shemhazai commented as they walked. "She'll be the target of their ridicule for days, weeks even, if she continues with this story of a hulking white beast that feeds on Devils."

"I find myself saddened at how cruel we Fallen Angels have become after our banishment," Azazel muttered as he came to an abrupt stop. "Are we so far gone that being banished from Heaven has left us with nothing but hate and malice in our hearts, even to others of our own kind. Why is it that some of us can find it in our hearts to still value love and friendship, while others cannot?"

"That is…surprisingly profound for you Azazel," Shemhazai spoke, a bewildered expression on his face.

"Was it? Perhaps I'm feeling a bit unwell," Azazel said with a laugh as they continued on their way. "She mentioned that the beast possessed a white mask, do me a favour and confirm this please."

"I'll see to it immediately."

XXX

Wow that has hard to write at times. Now as you can see, this will take a slightly more dark turn than what Highschool DxD is normally known for and that is partially due to the fact that while I love the concept, sometimes the ridiculousness of it annoys me (Breast power ups…really?!), but I knew what it was going to be like so I guess I can't complain too much.

There'll be more on the history of how Ichigo became a hollow as we push on. Until we meet again, let me know what you thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**A Hollow Familiar**

A great first response guys and girls. Two things before you start;

Ichigo will not be a servant to Rias, in the sense of an Evil Piece or any other binding.  
Ichigo is currently a normal hollow, albeit one with far more power than the average hollow. His form is similar to his first hollow form that was presented during his training with the Visoreds. The main differences are that he has no tail, no fur of any sort and no markings other than the ones on his mask.

XXX

**Chapter 2:**

'_Another day, another no show,'_ Rias though in dejection, as she appeared at her family's home within the Underworld. Looking around at the foyer, she tiptoed quietly towards the kitchen, a bulky and slightly bloody bundle held in her hands. Depositing her package in one of the industrial sized freezers they had, she proceeded up to her room, relishing the idea of a hot shower to soothe her aching muscles. _'I suppose I can take Minotaur off the list now too,' _she mused as she stepped into her bathroom and started the shower.

When she had initially returned home several days ago, thoughts of the mysterious creature occasionally flitted through her mind, but she was able to ignore them for the moment as she was tutored by both her parents and various mentors they had arranged to ensure she had a proper upbringing. This minor interest soon turned into a full blown obsession though, as she found nothing in her encyclopaedias that even hinted at a creature that would hunt Devils for survival. Sure there were creatures that should give her pause, such as the Nine-Headed Hydra for its deadly poison, or Minotaurs for their aggressiveness, but none of them actively sought out a Devil to fight. Even her tutors didn't know of such a creature and when asked why, she lamely responded that she wanted to know where they stood on the food chain, much to their amusement.

Left with no other avenue to pursue within the confines of her home, she thought back to what she remembered about the creature itself. When she considered its voracious appetite and its emaciated appearance, a plan began to slowly form her head. If the beast was hunting them out of desperation, then perhaps by offering it a meal, she could get another look at it. Now several days later, she still had nothing to show for her effort.

'_I've tried Chimera, Unicorn, Minotaur, Cerberus…the only creatures left are going to leave me broke if I have to order them,'_ she whined piteously as she pressed her forehead against the glass wall of her shower.

"Is something the matter Mistress," a cultured feminine voice spoke up from the entryway, startling Rias slightly.

"Grayfia! What are you doing here?" Rias asked flustered, as she reached for her towel in an effort to preserve some of her modesty.

"I was delivering a missive from Sirzechs-sama to your father and he bade me to check on your whereabouts."

"I was just having a shower Grayfia…nothing more."

"They are slightly concerned that you have been attempting to sneak food out of the house Mistress. They suspect that you are trying to bond with a familiar, one unheard of to our society if your recent questions are an indication," Grayfia stated, watching as Rias' eyes grew slightly in alarm.

"That's not what I'm doing at all!"

"If that's not the case then they'd like to remind you that they will not tolerate any pets being kept on the estate."

"I'm not trying to sneak a pet onto the grounds!"

"If you're not after a familiar or pet…then what are you doing when you sneak off to the human world Mistress?"

"I…nothing, just…" Rias tried to answer, only to fall silent as the door to the bathroom was opened once again and another figure entered. "Mother! Why is it that everyone is barging into my bathroom tonight?!"

"Why dear, am I interrupting something? Were you and Grayfia bonding like you used to when you were younger?" Venelana Gremory asked with a slight smile on her face, even as Rias flushed in embarrassment.

"We were doing nothing of the sort!" Rias snapped back, even as her mother laughed lightly at her. She soon composed herself and levelled a more serious expression at her only daughter.

"Rias, there's something important your father and I need to discuss with you tomorrow morning. Please be dressed by 08:00 and wear something…nice," she said before retreating from her daughter's bathroom.

"Something…nice?" Rias muttered in confusion, glancing at Grayfia in confusion, even as the maid looked down at her feet.

"I believe it has to do with the missive I delivered earlier. If you will excuse me Mistress I will be returning to the Master now."

"Wait Grayfia, what's…" she tried to say, only to fall silent as the woman disappeared with a flash, her magic teleporting her away. _'What have they planned for me now?'_ she thought with a hint of worry, her mind playing through several scenarios, now of which she appreciated.

XXX

'_She's back,'_ a part of his mind whispered to him, causing Ichigo to pause mid-chew on the limb of a hollow that he was consuming. Rising up off his haunches, he took a long, slow sniff, before shivering with delight as he detected her wondrous scent. Growling in frustration, he returned to his meal and desperately tried to put her out of his mind.

When she first appeared days ago, he'd just assumed that she was another monster like the toad he'd eaten before. When he spotted her though, he was forced to conclude that he couldn't have been further from the truth.

She looked like an ordinary teenage girl, albeit one with red hair, no different from any of the other countless ones he watched walk past him every single day. Yet the energy she possessed, it called to the monster in him, incensed it into a frenzy he'd not felt since becoming a monster several years ago. It had taken all of his willpower to leave her unharmed that day and it was fortunate that he'd come across a mindless hollow in his bid to escape, tearing it to shreds before it even had a chance to notice him.

If he'd thought that, that would be the last time he'd see her, he was sorely mistaken as she continued to appear in town, day after day. At first her reason eluded him, as it seemed that she would visit seemingly random locations all across town. It was only when she visited the site where he'd fought the toad that he grew alarmed.

Approaching the area with caution, he'd watched as she sat in a concealed position, watching a lump of meat with curiosity. Puzzled, he'd watched her till she left with a discontent expression on her face. Without her overpowering scent on his mind, he thought back to the day he'd eaten the toad and tried to remember whether she'd been there or not. The more he analysed the situation, the surer he became that she had seen him that day and was now trying to lure him out.

That thought caused him to bristle in anger, until he looked at it from a different point of view, one far kinder than he was used to using. He looked human-like certainly, if one were to ignore him being over eight feet tall, with pale white skin; long, shaggy, orange hair; claws for both his fingers and toes and a gaping hole where his heart should be. He also looked like he was heavily malnourished so it could just be that she was trying to feed him to help him survive, while sating her curiosity.

Despite the logic behind his thoughts, his instincts warned him against indulging in them and so he found himself ignoring her and the unappetizing lumps of meat she brought with.

Today though, he was fed and bored, a startling change from the usual for him. Thus he stretched his legs and leapt into the distance, looking forward to seeing what she'd brought this time.

XXX

'_Why?'_ Rias thought with a frown as she scowled at the bait placed not too far away from her. _'Why now?! How can they force this on me?!'_ she vented in outrage, her demonic energy flaring slightly in agitation.

When she'd been summoned to her father's office this morning, she'd naturally been a bit apprehensive about what they wanted to discuss with her. When she entered and saw her brother, father, mother, Grayfia and a man she'd been introduced to as Lord Phenex with one of his sons, Riser, she'd felt her stomach sink.

She stood there and listened as the two heads of house spoke about the decline of the 72 Pillars. Of how more and more noble blood continued to die out due to a lack of heirs. Thus was the actual topic of the meeting brought up.

Lord Phenex already had several sons that could continue the Phenex line, but being that Rias was the only heiress to the Gremory line, theirs was in jeopardy of dying out. With each word he spoke, Rias grew more and more conscious of how his son stared at her with roving eyes, a glint shining within them.

She'd wanted to shout her protestations at that point. He was several years older than her. She wasn't ready for this. He was staring at her like she was nothing but a prize. None of these protests made it past her lips though, as her brother calmly stated that it did indeed seems to be for the best, but they would need to discuss it further, before an answer could be given.

Assuring them that he fully understood, Lord Phenex and his son soon left in a flash of flame, leaving her alone with her family. Unwilling to listen as they debated her future for her, she'd stormed out of doors, ignoring the calls for her to return and teleported far, far away from them all.

Now, here she was again, having splurged her savings on a lump of hydra meat, a beast that even the strongest Devils feared to engage, waiting for the unknown beast to emerge once more.

Hearing a rustle ahead of her, her head snapped up to the bait she'd left out, spotting two men standing over it curiously.

"Wait!" she shouted, rushing out from her hiding spot. "Leave that alone." As she drew closer to the men though, she slid to a halt as she finally felt their energies.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" the one that had stooped down to inspect the meat asked, as he rose to his full height and smirked at her. He towered over her and had blonde hair and blue eyes with a muscled physique that showed through his jeans and t-shirt. "Well Eligor, it seems we're not the only ones looking for that mindless beast Raynare was babbling on about."

"It would seem so Berith, but looking at how pathetically she was trying to bait it, I can't help but wonder if it's just one of their pets that managed to get off its leash," Eligor commented as he scoffed at her attempt. He stood taller than Berith, with grey eyes, black hair and wearing a black suit that gave him a far more intimidating appearance than his laidback companion.

"No, that's not it at all," Rias shot back, her mind racing as she took in the situation she was in. Her powers while impressive for someone her age; did not mean that she could take on two opponents at once. Before she could summon her magic to teleport away, she was sent flying with a cry of pain as a third Fallen Angel appeared behind her, his heel striking her in her lower back.

"What do you have to report?" the third spoke with an authoritative tone, his light brown hair blowing slightly in the breeze as his cold brown eyes bore into Rias' own. He was the shortest of the three, standing at no more than five and a half feet, but his power was far more potent than either of the other two.

"The girl knows something about the beast we're looking for Orias. It may even be a pet of hers," Eligor commented as he shrugged towards the bait they'd found in the area.

"I see. Our objective was to ascertain what manner of creature it was. If she knows something, then we'll take her back with us."

"Man what a pain this mission has turned into," Berith commented as he walked towards Rias, before reaching down to pick her up. As his fingers were about to close around the fabric of her dress, she suddenly rolled away from him and unleashed a torrent of crimson energy point blank at his face.

Struggling to her feet, Rias launched similar volleys at the other two Fallen Angels, sending them scattering as they fled to the air to avoid her attacks. Hearing a high pitched whistle, she spun on her heel and instinctively released a demonic blast at the spear of light heading her way, triggering a small explosion that covered the immediate area in thick smoke.

Straining her senses to the limit as she peered through the dense smoke, she cried out as a light lance tore past her leg, cutting deep into her thigh, before a hand clamped down on her throat, crushing her airways.

"You're turning out to be more trouble than you're worth you little bitch," Berith spat, the right side of his face badly burnt and bleeding. Seeing her bringing her hands up again, he tightened his grip even further, causing her to hack and cough violently.

"Enough. We're leaving," Orias spoke as he blew the smoke away with a burst of wind from his wings and landed near the pair.

"You're certainly losing your touch if a little girl managed to give you such a wound Berith. Perhaps you rookies need to leave home more often," Eligor commented as he landed ahead of his comrade.

"Fuck you! When they're through questioning her, I'll have her pay me back tenfold for this disgrace," Berith snapped, his eyes glancing over her budding breasts with an evil glint.

"I forgot how lustful you brats are. Your mind rarely strays beyond thoughts of your next conquest doesn't it?"

"Shut it old man. Just because you were…"

"Yes? Don't tell me you're losing your intelligence now too," Eligor said with a sigh, as he glanced over his shoulder to mock his comrade. His insult died in his throat though, as he stared wide-eyed at his comrade and the pale white claw thrust through his chest. "What…what is that?!" he screamed as Berith was tossed aside like trash and in his place stood a monstrous beast.

"That…that's what we came looking for," Orias commented as he watched transfixed as Ichigo lifted his claw and began to lap at the blood coating it, much to their disgust. Rias though, could only stare transfixed up at him, her mind in disbelief that he stood now in front of her.

"Capture it alive if possible, I'm sure they'll want to study it to find out more of its origins," Orias ordered, summoning a light lance in his right hand, just as Eligor did the same.

"Understood," Eligor answered as he rushed forwards, thrusting his spear towards Ichigo's shoulder. Just as contact was about to be made, Ichigo lifted his arm out of the way, surprising Eligor as his light weapon skated across his ribcage in a shower of sparks, before being grabbed in a vice-like grip. Face to face with him, Eligor's nostrils smarted at the rancid stench coming from Ichigo's jaws, before they were on him in a flash, tearing out his jugular like it was nothing more than wet tissue paper.

Staring at the being in front of him, Orias was left dumbfounded as his two companions were taken down within seconds of one another, with almost contemptible ease. "Bastard…" he cursed as he leapt into the air, summoning another light lance in his free hand, before hurling them both towards his target. Watching with satisfaction as Ichigo was engulfed in a blinding explosion, he dimly heard Rias cry out as she was thrown back by the attack. Floating above the carnage as he waited for it to dissipate, he flinched as he felt something latch onto his wings, causing him to plummet to the ground. "Impossible…" he murmured as he saw Ichigo with his claws dug deep into his wings and nary a scratch on his person.

Grunting as he was flipped in mid-air, he gasped for breath as he was forced into the ground stomach first, before Ichigo's weight crashed into him, sending him even deeper into it. Groaning as he tried to rise to his knees and dislodge his unwanted passenger, he found himself literally eating dirt as a clawed foot forced his head back into the ground, while another dug its way into his spine.

From where she knelt with her dress ruined and bruises starting to form on her body, Rias found herself in utter disbelief yet again as she watched the unknown beast dominate his opponents. When he latched onto the Fallen Angel's wings, she had to plug her fingers in her ears as her enhanced senses were assaulted by the man's pained screams, as his wings were torn off his body. Whether it was to silence his screams, or for some sick pleasure, the beast pressed its heel down harder and harder on the man's skull, before a sickening crack echoed through the area and his screams died away.

Instead of bending down and feasting on the corpses as she half-expected though, she was surprised as it raised itself up to its full height and inhaled deeply, before snapping its gaze in her direction. Panicking as it began to stride towards her, Rias crawled backwards as quickly as she could, barely noticing the thin trail of blood that followed her from a cut on her thigh.

"Stay away from me!" she pleaded as she continued to backpedal frantically, while tossing a blast of demonic energy at it when she could. It didn't seem to faze the beast though, as it simply continued to march towards her, before it leapt the distance separating the two of them and pinned her arms above her head with a single arm.

Shuddering as it lowered its face to her own, Rias could see that what she assumed was its face, was actually a rather intricate mask that covered it. It had several blood red stripes that ran vertically over its eyes and ended just below its chin. As it leaned in even closer, she held her breath as it slowly sniffed her from her neck, down her chest and stomach, before stopping at the bleeding cut to her thigh and inhaled deeply once more. When she felt something moist press against it, she had to suppress the whimper in her throat as it lapped at her wound with gusto, before throwing its head back and uttering what could only be a pleasurable moan in her mind.

'_So this is how it ends…'_ she thought as the beast turned its attention back to her, its jaws now closing in on her neck. Before it could though, it was struck in its shoulder by a thin crimson beam, causing it to howl in agony and leap off of her to confront the newest threat.

"Now, now Ichigo…I know you don't want to do that. You're not the type after all," Kisuke Urahara spoke as he landed amongst the destruction, a midnight blue cloak covering him from head to toe.

XXX

Attack of the evil cliff-hanger! My friend actually had a different idea for the ending here, where Ichigo ignored Rias completely and began to eat the Fallen Angels, but considering that I've been building it to be that her scent drives him crazy, I thought this was more appropriate.

Now just a few things that I'm sure will come up in your reviews.

1 – Yes Rias seems weaker than her canon self, but this is due to the fact that I am basing this 4 years before the start of the series. She will eventually get to the point where her attacks cannot just be brushed off.

2 – Rias appears more prudish now than in the manga and anime. I plan to build her into that open persona as we go on since I can't imagine a pre-teen being so open, unconcerned about displaying their body.

3 – Ichigo's evolutionary path will be revealed in a bit more detail in the next chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

**A Hollow Familiar**

Thanks again for the great response everyone. Sorry for the lack of a chapter last week, but I'm the type of person that when presented with a new toy, I kind of get absorbed into it. That said, I am officially addicted to Evolve and Offworld Trading Company.

Anyway I hope you enjoy today's chapter. Responses to some reviews at the end of the chapter.

XXX

**Chapter 3:**

Rain had started to fall on the ruined battlefield as Ichigo and Kisuke stared one another down, while Rias sat ignored between the two. Glancing at the cloaked man, Rias began to crawl backwards as the tension continued to build.

Chancing a look at the monster, her eyes widened as Ichigo's yellow eyes narrowed to near slits as he hissed lowly and steam seemed to pour from the hole in his shoulder, before the wound slowly began to shrink and disappear, leaving no indication that he'd even been injured.

Astonished at what she was watching, Rias almost missed the tired sigh from Kisuke as he drew his blade from his cane and held it at the ready. "I really was hoping that you'd have run by now Ichigo."

Uttering an ear-splitting roar, Ichigo leapt forward with his fists raised high, before slamming them down on Kisuke's position and causing the earth to crumble and shatter under the force. Shielding her eyes from the wave of dust that washed over her, Rias felt her breath hitch in her throat at the crater the blow had left behind. _'Did he dodge it?'_

Her question was quickly answered as Kisuke was suddenly next to her, his cloak unruffled and his expression grim. Turning back to the dust cloud, she cried out as Ichigo burst forth from it, his claws aimed straight at the unknown man. As fist met blade, there was the shrill screech of steel on steel as sparks grated off their respective weapons and the resulting shockwave knocked her away yet again.

Seeing her fly away, Kisuke grimaced and leaned out of the way of Ichigo's attack, allowing him to slide past his guard and score a shallow cut across his lower back.

Howling in pain, Ichigo wrenched a section of earth half his size out of the ground and hurled it at Kisuke, watching as the man dodged it with ease. Refusing to let up for even a moment, he charged after him again, his claws lashing out manically as he sought his opponent's blood. Overextending himself slightly, he felt the tip of the blade cut into the palm of his hand, forcing him to leap back to avoid it biting any deeper into him.

Feeling the cut continue to bleed, he raised it to his jaw and lapped at the wound, as he glared at Kisuke. Within his mind, part of him worried that his healing was taking so long to seal the wound.

'_Stop it Ichigo!'_ part of his mind screamed at him, causing him to pause momentarily in his stride forward. Not hearing anything else, he shook his head in confusion and growled at the man in front of him again.

"It seems that you're so far gone in your bloodlust that you don't even recognise me…a pity really," Kisuke muttered under his breath as he removed his cloak and tossed it to the side. "I hope that this wakes you up…Awaken, Benihime."

With the cloak removed and its effects nullified, Ichigo winced as he finally realised who was standing before him. To make matters worse, his reiatsu had changed slightly, as well as the shape of his sword. It no longer looked like a flimsy blade hidden away in a cane, but an implement designed to end his life as efficiently as possible.

Grunting in surprise as Kisuke suddenly vanished, Ichigo roared as he felt the blade dig deep into his shoulder, before lashing out blindly as he tried to shake off his unwanted passenger. Dodging the strike almost lazily, Kisuke cut deep into his hand again, eliciting another howl from him.

'_Can't you tell that you're outmatched? Run away!'_ the voice begged him, while he was forced to concede it was right. Stumbling towards the corpses of the Fallen Angels, he snatched them up and flung them over his shoulder, before beginning to leap away to safety.

Watching him dwindle into an ever smaller speck in the distance, Rias was amazed that the man was able to drive him off with nothing more than a sword, especially after all the abuse it had taken in the past. What made it even more unbelievable was the fact that he hadn't felt like any type of being she knew, but was clearly something more than a human. Reaching for a handhold on the rubble next to her, Rias cried out and fell back to the ground as her injuries flared in pain and left her near crippled.

"Dear, oh dear, it seems you've certainly taken a beating today," Kisuke said as he was suddenly at her side, his blade back in its cane form and his cloak slung over his arm. Seeing Rias flinch away, he sighed and set both items down away from her. "It seems that you have had quite the night Miss…"

"Rias Gremory," she answered, inclining her head to him slightly.

"Kisuke Urahara.," he said as he swept his hat off with a flourish, before returning to her injuries. "First those Fallen Angels pick a fight with you and then Ichigo himself can't help but get a taste of you. Don't worry though; you don't have anything to fear from me though."

"What are you?" Rias asked, as some of the tension drained from her, whilst Kisuke continued to check her over for injuries.

"Me? I'm just a simple candy store owner that stays in the area," he said with a smile, before his hands were covered in soft green glow and her cuts and bruises began to fade away.

"You don't fight like a human," she said with a sense of disbelief as he chuckled at her

"Ah, guilty I suppose, but then again, you're not exactly human either, are you?" Seeing her breath hitch and her hand acquire a crimson glow, he grasped her wrist and forced it away from his direction with strength disproportionate to his size.

"Relax, I said that you didn't have to worry around me now didn't I?" he repeated calmly, as he passed over her final injury and helped her to her feet.

"You still haven't answered my question…what are you?" she queried again, before frowning as he handed her his coat.

"You may want to cover yourself first," he said as he averted his gaze, causing her to glance down and yelp, as the debris of the fight had left several tears in her dress, revealing her developing body for all to see. Hearing her hastily don his cloak, he turned back to her just as her energy signature disappeared.

"I suppose I can tell you what I am since the lack of information almost led to your death today. Although I'm sure your brother will know what I am, since my existence, as well as Ichigo's, is known amongst the upper echelons of Three Factions. Though due to our somewhat neutral status we've largely been ignored for over a millennia. We call ourselves Soul Reapers and we deal with the souls that neither Heaven nor Hell want, or who are not ready to move on just yet."

"What?"

"It is a bit confusing isn't it? Essentially people that do not subscribe to the idea of Heaven, or do not deserve to go to Hell, still need a place to go to after dying. One of those places is called the Soul Society and we Soul Reapers are the guardians of it."

"What about those who aren't ready to move on yet?"

"It is our responsibility to ensure that they do not linger in the World of the Living for too long. If they do, they become Hollows…souls that have lost their humanity and live to consume other souls. It also falls under our duty to purify these souls and allow them to pass on to Soul Society. I must say though, this is the first time that I've seen one actively pursue prey other than souls," he muttered as he glanced in the direction that Ichigo had leapt off in.

"That beast…you called it Ichigo, did you know her when she was alive? Is that why you let her run off?" Seeing him struggling to stifle his laughter, she glared at him, causing him to burst into laughter.

"Not personally no," he said as he wiped away a mirthful tear from the corner of his eye. "But I was an acquaintance of **HIS** father's. As for why I didn't kill him, that is a personal matter to me."

"Then why did you help me? If you're set on not killing Ichigo, then why save me from him when it would mean fighting him?"

"Just because I don't want to kill him doesn't mean I won't stop him from doing something I know he would regret. So what do you plan to do now Gremory-chan? You've met him up close, are you still curious about him?"

"A bit…but I can't deny that he frightens me. The way he treated me…the hunger in his gaze, I don't think I'll forget it anytime soon."

"Caution is certainly an admirable trait in this instance. Take care of that coat for me would you," he said with a smile, before he vanished before her eyes.

"W-Wait I still have questions I want to ask," she cried out as she glanced around for him. Seeing a familiar glow over her shoulder, she sighed and turned on the spot before freezing, as she took in her state and the state of the area around her.

"Ah there you are Mistress, I've been looking…" Grayfia began to say, only to fall silent at the scene of devastation in front of her. "What happened here?" she said suddenly and brusquely, her gaze sweeping the area with a critical eye.

"Uh…well you see…" she said with a nervous chuckle. " I really just don't know where to begin at the moment."

XXX

Far removed from the conversation Rias and Grayfia were having, Ichigo hissed in pain as each of his cuts slowly stitched themselves closed. Of all the abilities he'd been granted in this form, from immense strength and speed to his keen senses, he was most grateful for his steel-like skin and ability to regenerate. Without them, he doubted that he would have lived for as long as he had over the years. The only drawback of them though, was the immense drain on his energy reserves that both had, which left him utterly ravenous now, despite having eaten only hours ago. Thus with a maddening glint in his poisonous yellow eyes, he ripped the Fallen Angels free of their clothing and began to gorge himself on their corpses.

'_You really should've left the second he arrived,'_ the voice he'd dubbed as his conscious spoke, their voice barely registering in his mind as he continued to feed.

'_It's that damn girl's fault. Her scent…her taste…everything about her drives me insane,'_ he snapped back in irritation.

'_And yet having a conversation with a voice in your head does not? Regardless of what you say though, you wouldn't stand by as those men manhandled her now would you? In fact, shouldn't you take some of the blames for allowing her to get injured in the first place, thus sending you into a blood craze?'_

'_I'm not here to play hero with people too stupid to stay out of trouble!' _he spat as he paused mid-bite. _'I'm just a monster that can't seem to fully throw away their humanity.'_

'_A monster that has intervened twice now to save someone, no matter how unnatural they might seem,'_ it shot back, causing him to growl. His retort died though as he took note of a very important fact during his feasting.

'_My energy…it hasn't returned nearly as much as it should have! This bastard's not even filled me enough to recover the energy I used healing myself!'_ Grabbing one of the other corpses, he sunk his teeth into it and tore of a chunk of flesh from it and chewing it partially before spitting it out in disgust.

'_There's nothing left in him. Why?! Why doesn't he have any energy left?!'_ he roared, digging into the third corpse and finding it drained of any energy.

'_It would seem that their energy rapidly decays after their death. How curious,'_ his conscience muttered, aggravating him even further.

'_All that effort…all that pain and for what?! Nothing!'_

'_I wouldn't say nothing…you saved that girl after all.'_

'_And I almost ate her myself!'_

'_Well there was that unfortunate event.'_

'_ARGH! Does everyone have a voice as annoying as you in their heads?! Or was I just the lucky one?!'_ he snapped, venting his frustrations by tossing the corpses as far as he could. _'Answer me!'_he shouted again, before unleashing his loudest roar yet that sent shivers down the spines of every sentient creature within a few miles of him. There was no answer though and that alone hurt him, just as much as it angered him.

XXX

Short chapter for today, but I didn't want to touch on the next scenes since they will drag this one out too far. Responses to some reviews below;

The Fallen Angels:  
They only had a single pair of wings; i.e. two in total.  
Their names were annoying to create, but I didn't realise that they were in fact demons names. I merely searched for a list of Fallen Angels.

No harem's or other pairings are in the works so far. I will not make this a harem story though.

Till next week everyone.


	4. Chapter 4

**A Hollow Familiar**

**Chapter 4:**

A week passed in silence for Ichigo, both literally and figuratively as neither the girl nor the soul reaper had come after him again and the voice in his head had been eerily silent. He wouldn't say that he missed them though, as their appearance coincided with his life taking a turn for the worst. Now though, it was raining again and he'd found himself wandering through the seedier part of town, the stench of human desperation and despair thick in the air, as he hoped for a meal to arrive.

As he rounded a corner though, his clawed foot collided with a partially crumpled cardboard box, eliciting a whine from within it, as it was sent skidding across the ground slightly. Pausing in his steps, he peered down at the offending object and narrowed his eyes at it. Bumping it gently again and hearing a soft yip from it, he let out a low rumbling growl and knelt down next to it and pried open its flaps, exposing the contents to the icy downpour.

Within the box were two scrawny puppies, one with black fur and white spots, while the other had white fur and brown spots, curled up on a ragged old blanket covered in their own filth, with their bones showing through their skin. Exposed to the elements as they were, they began to shuffle about lamely, before taking shelter under the cover of Ichigo's skull. Grunting at his discovery, Ichigo roughly closed the flaps over the box and shoved it away, before continuing on his way once more. He'd taken no more than a few steps before his sensitive hearing picked up on their distressed whimpers once again, causing him to pause and utter a low, rumbling growl and clench his claws.

XXX

'_What are you doing?'_ his conscience asked him, its tone radiating its surprise.

'_So you're back again. Were you away annoying someone else?'_ he muttered, tossing a thin stick into the distance and watching the two puppies hurdle after it.

'_I never left Ichigo…I just can't reach you all the time,'_ it said with a sigh._ 'So…puppies…this is new. May I ask why?'_ it asked again. It was all in vain though as Ichigo promptly ignored it and instead tossed the newly returned stick away again.

'_Will you tell me where you got all this stuff at least?'_ it asked in exasperation and if it had a mortal body, he could almost assume it was crossing its arms and tapping its foot in impatience in front of the kennel, bedding and food he had…acquired.

'_I stole it,'_ he muttered half-heartedly._ 'Their food's running low. I'll need to get more soon.'_

'_You…stole it?!'_ his conscience said in indignation, causing him to growl inwardly as its shrill tone hurt his ears.

'_They needed it and I couldn't pay for it. What else did you expect?'_

'_You can't just take what you want because they need it Ichigo.'_

'_Why not? I don't exist to the people here. I'm nothing in every sense of the word. Besides, there's no one to stop me.'_

'_And what about the soul reaper that fought you?'_

'_I've evaded him and several others for so long now. Nothing has changed.'_

Knowing that there was no reasoning with him at the moment, his conscience simply fell silent and watched him continue to amuse the puppies. _'So other than them, how have you been?'_

'_Hungry…but you should know that already,'_ he grumbled, massaging his belly as it ached,

'_I see…you're not planning on eating them are you?'_

'_Out of everything you've ever asked me, that has to be the dumbest thing you've ever asked.'_

'_You can't blame me for thinking that! After all, why else would you just randomly decide to raise something?_

'_I suppose I can understand your confusion. But they'd make a pitiful meal due to their meagre reiatsu.'_

'_I'm surprised that they have any at all…how did that happen?'_

'_I think that it was because of me. They couldn't see me initially, but now…now they know where I am no matter what.'_ Troubled, but having nothing to say in response, his conscience fell silent once again, as he continued to amuse himself.

'_Has the girl come back at all?'_ it asked suddenly as the two puppies rough housed with one another, causing him to growl softly.

'_She hasn't and if she knows what's good for her, she'll stay far, far away from me.'_

'_Ichigo… it was just a moment of weakness. I'm sure if you saw her again that you wouldn't…'_ it tried to say, only to be silenced by Ichigo's words.

'_Do you know that I've had the taste of her blood, of her energy on my tongue since the last time I saw her. That the mere thought of how delectable she was is enough to make me salivate! If I smelt her now…'_ he whispered, feeling a shiver run down his spine as the memories of her taste and scent were brought to the fore of his mind.

'_I understand how you feel Ichigo, that's why I feel that if the circumstances were different, I feel that you might very well be able to talk to her.'_

'_Maybe that will happen…when I'm on my deathbed and unable to move.'_

XXX

**Several days later**

As the sun shone down on the little café that Azazel had chosen, he grinned and leered over the top of his newspaper at the numerous women that walked past him, his desire for them undiminished, despite the fact that it was said desire that caused his banishment from Heaven in the first place.

"I see you haven't changed much," a smooth voice spoke from behind him, causing him to fold up his paper and glance in the direction of his visitor.

"Have any of us Sirzechs," he replied with an unrepentant grin as he took in Sirzechs' casual wear. "I must admit that it surprises me how easily you blend into human society. Well come now, sit, sit," he said enthusiastically as he pushed out the empty chair across from him with his foot. "How's Rias-chan and the rest of the family?"

"They're fine and well Azazel. Now why did you ask me to come here? It's hardly time for us to be debating a peace treaty so soon after the last failed attempt," Sirzechs asked as he took the offered seat, never allowing himself to relax even slightly. No matter how friendly they might be now, the truth was that they were still at war, their very blood calling for the slaughter of the enemy at times.

"Yes well I just wanted to tell you about an interesting story I've been following," he explained, getting a raised eyebrow from the Devil.

"You called me here…to gossip?" he asked in dumbfounded shock.

"Oh Heavens no…" he said with a chuckle. "It's far more serious than that."

"Well then what is it? We both know that our time is not something to be trifled with."

"Well you see, a subordinate of mine recently had a dangerous encounter with a stray devil, one that left her rattled enough to bring it to my attention. Now neither of us cares much for strays, killing them wherever we find them. What piqued my interest was that she reported a white-masked creature interfering in their battle," he explained, seeing a light of understanding flit across Sirzechs eyes.

"You believe she encountered a hollow? We haven't had dealings with them in over a century. They avoid us like the plague just as we do them."

"Of course you're right. So naturally, I tried to get confirmation of what she saw, but the agents I sent failed to return. When I myself investigated, I found lingering evidence of a battle between my Fallen Angels and a Hollow. Now while I understand that my men's deaths might have been due to the Hollow and thus unfortunate, I couldn't help but notice another lingering presence left behind."

"You recognised this…other energy?" Sirzechs asked curiously, wary of its significance.

"Tell me, how has Rias-chan been? She should be entering her teens now yes? It's such a crucial time in a young woman's development," Azazel asked, enjoying the look of irritation that flashed across Sirzechs' face. "I would think that it would be highly detrimental to both her and her family if it was found out that she was consorting with a hollow. Why who knows how everyone else will take it. It could very well push us to all-out-war again if it was known that Devils were attempting to subjugate Hollows for their own purposes."

"What makes you think she has anything to do with this…hollow? What makes you think that she would attempt to enslave it?"

"She was there while my men were killed and considering that her remains weren't amongst the others, one could only assume that she was spared. We both know that hollows don't show mercy, they don't ignore a potential meal, so what else could one expect?" he asked, a sinister grin on his face.

"Don't worry, I won't announce what I've discovered just yet, but I would advise you to get the full story from Rias-chan and inform her of the…situation she might find herself in. Well now, I've said as much as I wanted to on the topic and Shemhazai is probably cursing my name because of all the work I left behind. As always Sirzechs…it was a pleasure," he said with a slight inclination of his head as he stood up from the table, before vanishing into a crowd of people and leaving a visibly annoyed Satan behind.

"Grayfia…" Sirzechs whispered, causing his esteemed Queen and wife to appear at his side with nary a sound. "Find Rias and make sure that she stays within the bounds of the estate. She doesn't leave it until I know the full story."

"Of course Sirzechs-sama," she replied as he stood and disappeared in a blinding flash of crimson light.

XXX

'_Now where are you going off to…?'_ Ichigo mused as the two pups ran off into the underbrush, yipping as they went. Reaching out with his senses and coming up with nothing nearby that could harm them, he closed his eyes and listened as they moved further and further away, knowing that they would eventually turn back once they realised that he had not followed them. Hearing one of them let out a pained whimper, his eyes snapped open and his body was already charging through the forest in their direction. Bursting into the clearing they were in, he found the black furred puppy on its haunches, while its sibling stood behind it barking pitifully at a short, cloaked figure.

His sudden appearance though spurred the two pups to run to him and cower behind his legs. Angered at their fear, his yellow eyes zeroed in on the unknown figure and he took a step forward, growling menacingly.

"Wait…please," the figure pleaded, their familiar voice causing him to freeze mid-step. Approaching him slowly, the figure knelt down a few feet away from him and pulled out a long, thin cut of meat, before proffering it to the pups. Curious at her gesture and salivating at the scent of the meat, the pups inched past Ichigo's legs and tentatively nibbled on the offered snack. Finding the treat delectable, they eagerly dug into it, fighting with one another briefly, before it snapped in half.

Chuckling at their antics, Rias reached out and stroked the pup closest her, causing it to pause in its chewing and stare at her balefully. Sniffing her hand, it soon picked up its piece of meat and ambled over to her, settling against her calf to finish consuming its treat. Hearing a branch snap, she looked up to see Ichigo stalking off. "Ichigo please wait!" she called out after him, leaping to her feet and heading after him.

"Stay…away…from me," he growled out, his eyes narrowing as he pinned her in place with a glare.

"You…spoke…" she said slowly, a dumbstruck expression on her face as she stared at him, infuriating him greatly.

"Is that really the best you could come up with?" he snapped at her, his anger clear in his tone.

"I'm sorry it's just…you've never gave me the impression that you could speak."

"Would you talk to your food?" he asked, before he began stalk off again.

"I just wanted to say thank you!" Rias shouted after him, watching as he paused and turned to look at her. "I never thanked you for saving me that day."

"I almost ate you…what idiot thanks the creature that tried to eat them?" he asked in disbelief, causing her to pout at him.

"But that wasn't your plan. You just…lost control for a moment."

"Why do you all assume that I lost control?" he roared, taking a step towards her and causing the puppies to whimper at his sudden outburst. "What makes you think that I'm anything more than a monster?" he asked softly, hoping to avoid upsetting them further.

"They do…" she said, kneeling down to lift up one of the puppies. "I've been watching you for a few days Ichigo. A monster wouldn't do what you've done for them."

"Impossible…" he hissed, his teeth snapping in anger. "I would've smelt or sensed you near me."

"Well can you smell or…sense me now? You can see me yes, but can you really 'feel' me?"

Puzzled, he took a quick sniff of the area and found that he couldn't detect her delectable taste in the air. Closing his eyes and concentrating on her body, he couldn't even sense the unique energy that she would always emit. Snapping his eyes open, he took in her garb, noticing for the first time that she wore that same damn cloak that the soul reaper used to sneak up on him.

"So that's your game!" he growled, advancing on her, even as his eyes darted around the clearing, searching for Kisuke. "So you distract me and he stabs me in the back, is that the plan?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, a hint of fear in her tone as he took the puppy from her hands and roughly placed it on the ground.

"That cloak belongs to him!" he roared, ripping it off of her and tossing it to the side. "Where is he?" he shouted as he grabbed her and lifted her into the air.

"I…I don't know. He just gave it to me and said that it would help me get the answers I wanted," she replied frantically, her feet kicking uselessly in the air.

"Don't lie to me!" he growled, his grip slowly tightening on her and causing her to wince as it dug into her flesh.

Before she could argue her case further, a brilliant silver beam shot through the foliage and slammed into him, freeing her from his grasp and sending him tumbling backwards. Crashing into the base of a thick oak tree with a sickening crack, he growled and uttered a bone-chilling howl as he attempted to sniff out his assailant's position.

He didn't have to look far though as another wave burst through the underbrush, far larger than its predecessor, forcing him to leap into the air lest he be disintegrated. Hearing the pups' frantic cries in the distance, he spotted them huddled together on the ground, just barely out of the firing line. Feeling another attack speeding towards him, he growled and charged towards them, crashing into the ground and sending them and chunks of earth into the air. Snatching them out of the air, he felt the heat of another attack closing in on him, causing him to leap away into the air and disappear deeper into the forest.

Hearing someone emerge from the foliage into the clearing, Rias was surprised to see Grayfia, a grim expression on her face. Seeing that she was about to head off after Ichigo, she rushed into her path, her arms spread to block her. "What are you doing Grayfia?!" she screamed, causing her sister-in-law to pause in her steps and regard her with a puzzled expression.

"I was protecting you Rias. That hollow was about to kill you."

"He wasn't! Now who knows if he'll let me get close to him again!"

"Rias-sama…hollows are no better than strays. They have no allegiance to anyone. They're nothing more than mons…"

"He was not a monster!"

"I'm sorry that you feel that way mistress, but Sirzechs-sama has ordered that I bring you back to the estate. I would have been here sooner, but I was unable to locate you for some reason."

"I won't! I need to find him and…" she was silenced though as Grayfia caught her wrist in an iron-grip, her eyes cold and emotionless.

"I'm sorry Rias-sama, but your brother's orders are absolute," she murmured, before they disappeared in a blinding grey flash.


End file.
